SHOUT! Factory DVD Request: "Murphy Brown: The Complete Series"

[stevearino]

Dear Brian,

I have a proposal for SHOUT! Factory: to make a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution for SHOUT! Factory to issue and release (coinciding with its 35th Anniversary next year) "Murphy Brown: The Complete Series," a loving showcase of all 247 half-hour episodes of the hit '80s sitcom "Murphy Brown" 100% Complete, 100% Uncut, 100% Unremastered AND 100% Unedited, just the way they originally aired on the CBS Television Network for 10 years, with each and every episode sourced from the original CBS prints.

Created by Diane English, "Murphy Brown" originally aired for 10 years on CBS from November 14, 1988 - May 18, 1998; the series was conceived as a vehicle for Candy Bergen, whom Diane cast on the show in the title role of Murphy Brown, a 40-year-old veteran news anchor based in Washington, D.C. who served as Star Reporter for the fictional show "F.Y.I."

In the Pilot Episode telecast on November 14, 1988, Murphy Brown just returned to work after a month-long stint in Rehab at the Betty Ford Center; joining her on the "F.Y.I." news team were veteran newsman Jim Dial (Charlie Kimbrough), a 25-year veteran newsman with very little sense of humor; Frank Fontana (Joe Regalbuto), Murphy's best friend who served as the show's Investigative Reporter; and newcomer Corky Sherwood (Faith Ford), a former Miss America who originally filled in for Murphy while she was in Rehab until new showrunner Miles Silverberg (Grant Shaud), the new "F.Y.I." executive producer, made her a permanent anchor.

Other Principal Characters included Eldin Bernecky (Bob Pastorelli), who served as Murphy's house painter and eventually adoptive "Uncle Eldin" to Murphy's son, Avery, during Seasons 5 and 6 until Pastorelli left to star in his own show, "Double Rush," lasting 13 weeks, with Eldin given a sendoff to go to Art School in Spain; Phil (Pat Corley), who served as Proprietor of the local Bar and Grill aptly titled Phil's, where he offered advice to the gang.

Over the course of the show's 10-year run, "Murphy Brown" dealt with a mix of hilarious and serious subjects--among others, midway through its run, Murphy got Knocked Up after a one-night fling with ex-husband Jake Lowenstein (Robin Thomas), resulting in Murphy giving Birth at the end of Season 4 to Avery, whom she named after her mother, Avery (Colleen Dewhurst, who died in Real Life of Cancer at age 67 in 1991, with her Avery Brown character killed off with her), as well as Murphy's Season-long Season 10 battle with Breast Cancer.

During Seasons 2-4, Jay Thomas appeared regularly on "Murphy Brown" as Jerry Gold, a fictional tabloid newsman who joined the "F.Y.I." team (AND subsequently began a love affair with Murphy) after his tabloid news show "Headline News" (NOT to be confused with CNN's sister network now officially known as HLN) was cancelled; by 1992, Jay Thomas had proved so popular with viewers that he was spun off into his own series called "Love & War."

In the spin-off, Jerry Gold was rechristened Jack Stein after becoming a fictional New York Post columnist and relocating to New York City, New York, where he soon met and fell instantly in love with Wallace "Wally" Porter (Susan Dey), who on a drinking binge bought his favorite watering hole in New York City called the Blue Shamrock; after Wally dumped him (after Susan Dey was fired), sparks soon flew between Jack & Dana Palladino (Annie Potts, fresh from "Designing Women"), a new chef at the Shamrock who became Jack's new lover.

After "Love & War" was cancelled by CBS in February 1995, Jack Stein once again became Jerry Gold after Jay Thomas returned for one-show only during Murphy's cancer illness.

Tentatively, SHOUT! Factory shall issue and release "Murphy Brown: The Complete Series" on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 (appropriately enough the 35th Anniversary day of its Network TV debut) at a cost of ONLY $99.99 wherever DVDs are sold, with a plethora's worth of to-be-determined Bonus Features spread out over the course of the DVDs.

Sincerely,
Steve Arino